In response to SkyWest's announcements that the US pilot shortage would cause it to withdraw Essential Air Services (EAS) connections to 29 cities that began last month, the US Department of Transportation has intervened to stop SkyWest's service withdrawal while seeking replacement vendors for the EAS connections.

Political intervention to buy time

Several Congressmembers last week wrote to the Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg, insisting...

...DOT to issue an order prohibiting SkyWest from terminating air service and requiring the airline to serve out the remainder of its contract through June 2023. Concurrently, we request that the Department expedite the initiation of a Request for Proposals (RFP) process for future service so that another suitable air carrier can provide service to these communities.

US Secretary of Transportation Buttigieg's department took just those actions. In an order prohibiting termination of service, the US Department of Transportation noted;

Congress has specified that the Department’s discretion to consider a reduction in basic EAS at individual EAS eligible communities is triggered not by a request from an air carrier providing EAS but by a request from the EAS eligible community. ... Basic EAS requirements guarantee a minimum of two round trips a day, six days a week, to a large- or medium-hub airport.

Furthermore, the US Department of Transportation stated an intention to place consecutive 30-day orders on SkyWest not to terminate service until a replacement air carrier is found. In its order, the US Department of Transportation also requested bids to provide Essential Air Services to replace SkyWest.

SkyWest Mitsubishi CRJ-701ER N603SK
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

What are Essential Air Services?

Under the Essential Air Services subsidy program that Simple Flying profiled, the US federal government provides "Subsidies for air service to destinations that may otherwise not have enough demand to warrant flights from commercial airlines. Airlines offer proposals for service and, in a process that includes community stakeholders, the DOT selects an airline to provide flights and awards them a subsidy. However, this program does not allow airlines to exit markets or reduce frequencies unilaterally or without notice."

Skywest Airlines serves mainly as a contractor

SkyWest CRJ Getty
SkyWest has more than 130 Bombardier CRJ-200s in its extensive fleet. Photo: Getty Images

Few of SkyWest's commercial flights are for SkyWest. Rather, it operates as a contractor to US domestic airlines such as United Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and Alaska Airlines. Under those brands, SkyWest provides regional connections from airline hubs and even some short-haul routes.

The destinations affected are all under the United Express brand, where SkyWest provides the workforce and aircraft for a United-branded connection to United Airlines hubs in Chicago (ORD), Denver (DEN), Houston George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) and Washington Dulles (IAD).

Addressing the underlying pilot shortage

Many major airlines, such as United Airlines and Alaska Airlines, are coming up against a need for more aviators. United Airlines even bought its own flight school last year to provide flight training to feed its own pipeline. Also, as Simple Flying reported recently, Alaska Airlines is partnering with Hillsboro Aero Academy to remove barriers to accessing flight training and a conditional job offer at Alaska's regional subsidiary Horizon Airlines.

Furthermore, according to a recent Oliver Wyman report, the shortage could be as significant as 12,000 pilots in 2023. As major carriers like United and Alaska increase hiring, the regional carriers that offer less pay and smaller airframes are doubly pinched by the major carriers and the general pilot shortage.

Affected cities that may lose service

The affected cities include:

  • Alamosa, CO
  • Pueblo, CO
  • Fort Dodge, IA
  • Mason City, IA
  • Sioux City, IA
  • Dodge City, KS
  • Hays, KS
  • Liberal, KS
  • Salina, KS
  • Paducah, KY
  • Decatur, IL
  • Houghton, MI
  • Muskegon, MI
  • Cape Girardeau, MO
  • Fort Leonard Wood, MO
  • Joplin, MO
  • Meridian, MS
  • Hattiesburg, MS
  • Devils Lake, ND
  • Jamestown, ND
  • Kearney, NE
  • North Platte, NE
  • Scottsbluff, NE
  • Johnstown, PA
  • Victoria, TX
  • Shenandoah, VA
  • Eau Claire, WI
  • Clarksburg, WV
  • Lewisburg, WV

Have you used Essential Air Services to connect to a city or SkyWest? Let us know in the comments!